Fastener



April 17, 1956 R. c. LEGAT 2,741,820

FASTENER Filed June 26, 1952 INVEN TOR Rosmr C. LEG/IT ATTORNEYS United States Patent" 6 FASTENER' Robert C. Legat, New Britain, Conm, assignor to The G. E. Prentice Mfg., Co., Kensington, tlonn, a corporation of Connecticut Application June 26, 1952, Serial No. 295,599

4 Claims; (Cl. 24-206) This invention relates to devices used'for fastening together two parts of an article such as the uppers of an overshoe.

Overshoes are usually secured in place by means of a ladder-like member and a clasp which engages with .the member. The usual type of clasp employed on overshoes essentially comprises a plate to which is pivotally connected a spring-pressed finger piece adapted tobe .inserted up through the spaces'in' the ladder-like member. and then moved to a closed position over the plate. This type of clasp has been used on overshoes for a great many years Without substantiallychange' and while it is an. efii cient fastener, it possesses certain disadvantages which:

render its use not entirely satisfactory. This is primarily due to the fact that it must be connected by inserting the 1 finger piece through'the openings of .theladder-like member from beneath the latter.

or stifl or the hands cold or when gloves are beiugworn. Further, under such conditions,it is also diificult to unfasten the clasp, especially when the parts thereof are frozen or clogged with snow.

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved fastener of the indicated type which- Other advantages and the novel features-of the present invention will become apparentafter a perusal -.of the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the ladder-like member forming part of the fastener;

Fig. 2 is a top .plan view-of the hook or-clasppartof t the fastener with the lever shown in unlatched posih'om- Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing the devices of Figs. 1 and 2 engaged;

Fig. 4 is a vertical. sectional view taken'along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevationalview of the structure shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a bottom PIBJIVlEW-Of the hook or clasp with the lever in unlatched condition, and

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the hookor clasp part in unlatched condition;

In the drawings, the ladder-like member is designated generally by the'reference'numeral 10." The ladder or catch-plate 10 is of ordinary construction, being prefer ably formed from sheet metal and composed of a plu rality of openings 11 separated by rungs or bars 12. Provided at the inner end of the ladder 10 is an opening 13, through which a portion of the shoe upper extends to connect such member to the shoe, as is indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. It will also be noted from such figure, that the rungs or bars 12 are substantially rectangular in cross section and that the member 10 is arcuately-shaped to better conform to the foot of the wearer.

The clasp 15 of the fastener is also formed from sheet This is not aneasy operatron and is especially difficult when the-overshoes are Wet 2,741,820 Patented Apr. 17, 1956 "ice metal and is composed of a plate-like portion 16 provided.

with an opening 17 through which a portion of the shoe upper extends to-connect such device to theshoe .(note Fig. 4).' The plate .16, which is also arcuately-shapedas.

shown in Fig. 4, is. slit alongiits side edge portions from the outer. end thereof to points located at approximately.

one-third its length to provide two tongues which are rolled back upon'themselves to. provide bearing sockets 18, 18, for a pivoted lever 19.- The lever 19 is pivotally;

connected to the plate 16 by integrally formed trunnions 20'Which extend outwardly into the sockets 18.

The. reduced portion 21 of the. plate 16 projecting beyond the sockets 18-is stiffened and strengthened b'y ribs 22 which extend in diverging relation into .the mainportion of the plate 16 to points adjacent to the aperture 17 an opening 11 from the top or convex side of the member 11 and caught onto one of the bars 12 of such member. The form of. thehook is. such. that it may readily be caught OllrtO a bar..12 and will release freely when the.

overshoe is tight..on=,.the.foot of the wearer. Stamped out of the plate lfitbetween the ribs 22, is a centrallylo:

cated, longitudinally. extending tongue 24 whose connected end is adjacent tothe inner ends. of the ribs 22 and whose outer free end is located vwithinthe area of the plate portion 21.. The tongue 24 isformedto have a greater degree of curvature than the plate 16,1so thatin its normal conditionin theregionof the sockets .18, it is slightly above. the tops of the ribs 22. The outer. free end of the tongue 24 is bent upwardly to provide a locking-member 25 for. locking the hook 23 in position on a bar 12.. It will be noted from Fig, 4 of the. drawings, that the locking mem: ber 25 :is' so constructed and arranged that when the tongue 24-is depressed,'such member 25 is spaced from. the inner end .of. hook'23 a distance only slightly greater I than the width of a bar 12 .and presents a transversely disposed Istop. against movement of the bar 12 relative to the hook 23. Thus, the member 25 effectivelylocks thehook 23 in position on the bar 12 until the tongue. 24 is enabled to return by its. own resiliency to normal positions The means for depressing the tongue 24 to accomplish the aforesaid lockingraction. is. the lever 19 whichhas an actuating arm 26 whose free end is bent to provide a suite ably shaped fingerpiece and which. has an actuating arm 2Textending at right .angles,.or approximately so, to the arm. 26 'and located ator near the logs or trunnionsZt)v of such lever. When the lever 19 is raised, the arm 27 .ex-

erts no pressure on the tongue 24 and the member 25.

on such tongue is in araised or retracted position. In

its retracted condition, the member 25 is located above.

the plate portion 21, whereby the hook 23 can be freely removed from or attached to. the ladder 1b.. When the:

lever 19 is depressed as. shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings,

the tongue 24 is' depressed to cause the member 25 there-. of to move through the opening formed in theplate ,pora tion'21 and across the. opening of the .hook 23, roles the clasp 15 to the ladder 19.

From the foregoing description, it is believed to be clear that when the arm 26 of the lever 19 is raised, the hook 23 may be readily connected to any one of the bars 12 of the ladder 10 by passing it through one of the openings 11 thereof from the top. When the hook 23 engages a bar 12, the finger-piece or arm 26 of the lever is depressed to lock the parts together. The clasp 15 may be detached from the ladder 19 by simply lifting the arm 26 of the lever. the parts then readily separating without the necessity of great eifort or any manipulation.

While I have described and illustrated a preferred form of my invention, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fastening device for use with a ladder-like catch plate, comprising a body plate formed to lie prostrate on said catch plate and having integral with one end thereof a reduced turned under, quiescent hook adapted to be inserted into an opening between the bars of said catch plate and to hook onto a bar thereof while the body plate is lying on but moved relative to said catch plate, a longitudinally extending tongue out out of the material formingthe central portion of said body plate and positioned substantially in the plane of said body plate, said tongue having its free end adjacent to said hook, the free end of said tongue being bent outwardly to extend transversely of said body plate and said bent end being spaced from the curved end of said hook a distance slightly greater than the width of the bars on said catch plate, an operating lever extending transversely of said tongue intermediate the ends thereof, means on the outer sides of said body plate for pivotally supporting said lever, said lever having an actuating arm engageable with an intermediate portion of said tongue and a finger piece operable to pivot said lever to cause the actuating arm thereof to depress the free end of the tongue below said body plate so as to move the bent end thereof through an opening in said catch plate adjacent to the one through which said hook has been inserted into position to lock the hooked bar of said catch plate between said apertures in said hook. 2. A fastening device for use with a ladder-like catch plate, comprising a body plate formed to lie prostrate on said catch plate and having integral with one end thereof a reduced, turned under, quiescent hook adapted to be inserted into one opening between the bars of said catch plate and to hook onto a bar thereof While the body plate is lying on but moved relative to said catch plate, a longitudinally extending tongue cut-out of the material forming the central portion of said body plate and positioned substantially in the plane of said body plate, said tongue having its free end normally positioned above said catch plate adjacent to said hook and spaced from the curved end of said hook a distance slightly greater than the width of the bars on said catch plate, an operating lever extending transversely of said tongue intermediate the ends thereof, means on the outer sides of said body plate for pivotally supporting said lever, said lever having an actuating arm engageable with an intermediate portion of said tongue and a finger piece operable to pivot said lever to cause the actuating arm thereof to depress the free end of the tongue below the body plate and through an opening in said catch plate adjacent to the one through which said hook has been inserted to a position to lock the hooked bar of said catch plate between such apertures in said hook.

3. A fastening device for use with a ladder-like catch plate, comprising a body plate formed to lie prostrate on said catch plate and having the forward end portions of its side ends turned back over said body plate to provide a pair of spaced, aligned bearing sockets intermediate the ends of said body plate, a lever having trunnions mounted in said sockets and having an actuating arm and a finger piece operable to pivot said level about its trunnions, a

turned under, quiescent hook integral with the reduced forward end of said body plate, and formed to be inserted into an opening between the bars of said catch plate and to hook onto a bar thereof while the body plate is lying on but moved relative to said catch plate, a longitudinally extending tongue out out of the material forming the central portion of said body plate and positioned substantially in the plane of said body plate, said tongue being integrally connected to the enlarged part of said body plate and extending beneath said lever and between said bearing sockets and into the reduced forward end of said body plate so that said lever extends transversely over an intermediate portion of said tongue, the free end of said tongue beingnormally positioned above said catch plate adjacent to said hook and spaced from the curved end of said hook a distance slightly greater than the width of the bars on said catch plate, said lever being operable to cause the actuating arm thereof to engage an intermediate portion of said tongue and thereby to depress the free end of the tongue below the body plate and through an opening in said catch plate adjacent to the one through which said hook has been inserted to a position to lock the hooked bar of said catch plate between such apertures in said hook.

4. A fastening device for use with a ladder-like catch plate, comprising a body plate formed to lie prostrate on said catch plate and having integral with one end thereof a reduced, turned under, quiescent hook adapted to be inserted into an opening between the bars of said catch plate and to hook onto a bar thereof while the body plate is lying on but moved relative to said catch plate, a longitudinally extending tongue out out of the material forming the central portion of said body plate and positioned substantially in the plane of said body plate, said tongue having an intermediate portion bent outwardly and its free end adjacent to said hook, the free end of said tongue being bent outwardly so as to be disposed at substantially right angles to the body of said tongue and said bent end being spaced from the curved end of said hook a distance slightly greater than the width of the bars on said catch plate, an operating lever extending transversely of said tongue over the bent intermediate portion thereof, means on the outer sides of said body plate for pivotally supporting said lever, said lever having an actuating arm engageable with the bent intermediate portion of said tongue and a finger piece operable to pivot said lever to cause the actuating arm thereof through its engagement with said bent intermediate tongue portion to move said bent free end of the tongue through said body plate and through an opening in said catch plate adjacent to the one through which said hook had been inserted to a position to lock the hooked bar of said catch plate between said apertures in said hook.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 253,478 Hinks et al. Feb. 7, 1882 311,104 Oolton Ian. 20, 1885 1,096,787 Kraetzer May 12, 1914 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,291 Great Britain Aug. 31, 1818 87,812 Switzerland Jan. 3, 1921 170,526 Switzerland July 15,1934 

